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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25428952">Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popcorners/pseuds/Popcorners'>Popcorners</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arya Stark doesn’t, F/M, Jon Snow dates around, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:07:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25428952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popcorners/pseuds/Popcorners</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Stark Flowers and Wildling Coffee have been across the street from each other for ages. So why does it take Jon coming into Arya’s flower shop to buy breakup flowers for them to finally meet?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jon Snow/Arya Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>210</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Can I go home?” Lommy asked from the window. She had asked him to dust the displays but so far he just did the one. Arya looked up from her laptop and grimaced. Lommy completely missed her scowl though, he turned back to the window and sighed. “Its too nice outside to be inside.”<br/>“Maybe you should have gotten an outside job then,” Arya turned back to her computer. She hated being distracted when she needed to figure out what flowers to order for the following week.</p>
<p><br/>“Oh, shit, he’s coming in here?,” Lommy said excitedly and ran to join Arya behind the counter.<br/>“Who? Who’s coming?”<br/>“That hot guy from the coffee shop, shhh,” Arya looked aghast at Lommy shushing her but she kept her mouth shut when the coffee shop guy entered the store, “Hi, welcome to Starks. Let me know if you need anything?”</p>
<p>The tall, black hair gentleman merely nodded at the two and walked over to the display case.<br/>Lommy began giving Arya the “go-away” look and she sighed, “I’ll be in the back if you need anything,” she whispered to Lommy, picked up her computer and papers, and left to the back room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She couldn’t hear much but the occasional laughter from the two guys, she could only hope that Lommy was successful in his flirting. “Hey Ar,” he called out just as she was finishing up, his head made an appearance in her doorway, “this guy’s got a question.”<br/><br/></p>
<p>The coffee shop guy was standing in front of the floral refrigerator, “whats up?” Arya asked as the pair approached him, “what can I help you with?”<br/>“Hi, I am—lost.” He looked it as well, Arya had to take pity. <br/>“Lets start out easy, whats the occasion?”<br/>He looked a little sheepish at that, his hand ran through his mop of curls, “I’m actually trying to dump—someone.” <br/>“Oh—well,” Arya bit down the laugh that was bubbling inside of her, “Do you want those flowers to say, <em>it’s been fun</em>, or <em>I hate you, please die</em>?”</p>
<p>“Fun. This isn’t, like, a bad breakup, just—we’ve outgrown each other and I wish you the best,” he had on a tight smile but refused to meet Arya’s eyes.<br/>“Whats her favorite flower?” <br/>“Um—why does that matter?” He looked at her skeptically. <br/>“You don’t want to give her a bunch of flowers that say <em>its been fun, get out of my life</em>, and have those flowers be her favorite kind, mixed messages.”</p>
<p>“Right, um—I think she likes lilies.”<br/>“Great, then—“ Arya got to work picking through her stock of flowers, and ended up with a bouquet of yellow freesias and daisies.<br/>“These look like flowers I’d get my mom,” he said as she worked on bundling them correctly, Lommy already ringing them up for her.<br/>“Exactly.” <br/>“Do you deliver?”<br/>“As long as its in town.”<br/>“Perfect. Can I also leave a card?”<br/>“Sure, can.”</p>
<p>He picked out a small notecard with a sad puppy dog face on it. “I kind of have really shitty handwriting, do you think you—?”</p>
<p>Lommy jumped in before Arya could answer, “Ar, has perfect handwriting but it’s extra.”<br/>“That’s fine. Can it say ‘Sorry, its not you, its me.’”He looked up when Arya didn’t start writing. Both Arya and Lommy’s faces looked taken aback. “Is that bad?”<br/>“Its not good,” Lommy said with a small laugh. <br/>“Its—clinical,” Arya said more delicately, “why are you breaking up with her, if you don’t mind my asking—you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to—I just—“<br/>“No, it’s fine, she—wants more and I don’t—“<br/>“Oh, then—“ and Arya got to work on his note.</p>
<p>He looked at her perfect calligraphy and read it, “Sorry. I hope you find someone who can give you everything you want.”<br/>“That’s—perfect.”<br/>“I have to write your name—?”<br/>“Jon. I co-own Wildling Coffee, across the street,” he held his hand out and introductions were made.</p>
<p>“Lommy will deliver these tomorrow morning,” she said as Jon was leaving. <br/><br/></p>
<p>Lommy kept waving at him as he left the shop and they could no longer see him from their window, then turned on her with the precision of a jungle cat. If he had claws, Arya knew they would be out, “didn’t I tell you he was hot?”<br/>“Yes, he is very hot.”<br/>“And single—“<br/>Arya didn’t want to spend the rest of the afternoon dissecting Lommy’s conversation with the coffee shop guy, “I’m sure the two of you will be very happy together. You are free to go—“<br/>“Now we know he’s straight, so he’s all yours, boss. See you tomorrow.” Lommy didn’t even bother walking around the counter, instead he just reached over to grab his bag stashed underneath.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Do you remember those flowers you picked for me last month?”<br/>“Yeah—“<br/>“Can you do them again?”<br/>“Did the first break up not take?”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a month and Jon hadn’t seen Arya for more than the friendly neighborly wave after he bought those flowers. But he saw Lommy a lot more. Not that he wasn’t grateful for his business, but he’d be a lot more grateful if it was Arya coming in to get their coffees.<br/>“Can I please get a—mocha frappe and small iced latte,” Jon had his new barista, Satin, on the register. The poor boy still didn’t know how to make a leaf in a latte but he was good with customers, and his co-owner Tormund loved teasing the boy.<br/>“Is Arya working today?” Jon asked as he finished up the latte for Lommy.<br/>“As if she’d ever leave me in that shop alone. Why do you ask?”<br/>“I need her floral expertise, I’ll stop by when Tormund gets back from the bank.”<br/>Lommy grabbed his drinks and left with a wave to Jon. He heard a small sigh coming from Satin.<br/>“You can ask him out you know?” Jon told him.<br/>“I know,” he said with another sigh.</p>
<p>The flower shop was empty except for Arya absorbed in something on her computer. She was chewing on her lower lip; Jon found it distracting. Her head jerked up at the sound of the bell above the door.<br/><br/></p>
<p>He vaguely heard Lommy say, “welcome to Starks,” as he approached Arya at the counter.<br/>“Hey, what brings you in today?”<br/>“Do you remember those flowers you picked for me last month?”<br/>“Yeah—“<br/>“Can you do them again?”<br/>“Did the first break up not take?” Arya made her way from behind the counter and opened the refrigerators. She deftly began pulling the yellow flowers.<br/>“It did. This is for another girl?”<br/>“Really? Do you need the same card, too?” Jon could hear the humor in her voice and didn’t hate it.<br/>“Yes, and delivery, too? If Lommy is available to do it today.”<br/>While Arya wrapped the flowers in paper, Lommy rang them all up and began filling out the delivery receipt.</p>
<p>Arya held up the small note card with the sad puppy dog on the front, he could tell she was fighting a smile. Jon nodded and smirked, pleased that she remembered the card he sent last time.<br/>“What would you like this one to say?” She asked.</p>
<p>“What did it say last time? Something about me not being perfect—“<br/>Arya nodded and began writing. In her perfect calligraphy, it said “Sorry, I hope you can find someone that can give you everything you want—Jon.”<br/>Jon laughed and could see Arya had a small smirk on as well.</p>
<p>“What made you become a florist?” He asked her as she handed him back his credit card. Lommy had the flowers and was on his way out of the door.<br/>“What made you become a barista?”<br/>“I co-own my shop, thank you very much.”<br/>“And I own my shop, thank you very much,” she replied with a small smile.<br/>“Fair enough, I like coffee and people,” Jon shrugged.<br/>“I like flowers and people,” Arya replied with a shrug of her own.<br/>“Are you always this difficult to have a conversation with?”<br/>“Sometimes.” Jon smiled at her and was happy when she smiled back, a big smile not the usual small smirks.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Jon dated a lot, Arya would soon find out. He was in every month or so to buy the same yellow flowers and same puppy dog card with the same inscription inside. By the third time, Arya already called it the Jon special.<br/>She knew his dating schedule by month five. He would come in gushing about a girl he met and by week three, he was in the shop asking for the Jon special. Arya started hiding the puppy dog cards from other customers.</p>
<p>They also developed a routine, one that Arya found herself looking forward to. He would come into the shop in the afternoons, 3 coffees for the 3 of them to enjoy. Lommy’s frappe, an iced latte for Arya and an iced tea for himself. They would talk about his dating life, Lommy’s dating life, and Arya would keep quiet when they did. It’s not that she didn’t date and it had been a long time since she broke up with her boyfriend of 5 years, she was just busy.</p>
<p>That afternoon Lommy left to make the delivery for the latest girl in the long line of failed relationships. Jon sat at the counter, enjoying his iced tea while Arya made boutonnières and corsages for the dance at the local high school that weekend. Arya loved teasing Jon whenever he came in, today it was because his latest ex was a woman obsessed with dragons.</p>
<p>“I just don’t see how you could have kept it going for so long?” She laughed around her straw, tears pooling in her eyes, “what would you have done if you got married? Would you have to pretend you love dragons as much as her for the rest of your life?”<br/>Jon laughed along with her, his sides aching, “I don’t know. She was pretty—“<br/>“That’s all that matters, huh?” Arya wiped the tears from her eyes and missed Jon’s puzzled expression.</p>
<p>“What about you?”<br/>“What about me?”<br/>“Is there a Mr. Arya Stark?”<br/>“No Mr. Just me, Lommy and this shop.”<br/>“Then you don’t know what its like out there in the dating scene.”<br/>“Don’t I?”<br/>“Not at all.”<br/>“If its anything like what you’re going through, I’ll pass”<br/>“Go out with me, then,” Jon teased her, “you’ll see how much fun it can be.”<br/>“But then I’ll have to make my own breakup bouquet,” Arya teased back.<br/>“We wont break up.”</p>
<p>Aryas heart fluttered at the dark look in Jon’s eyes but she tramped it down, Jon had been doing that a lot lately. Teasing her, then giving her a look so dark it made her insides dance. She was getting better at teasing him back though, making him blush.<br/>“And deprive the good women of Wintertown their chance at dating you, they will tear me limb from limb.” Just like she had hoped, his cheeks blushed.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Whats Valentines Day to a florist? Jon finds out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Valentine’s Day was the next day and Jon was in a state to get his latest Jon Special out before then. He also hoped to spend some time with Arya that afternoon but the populace of Wintertown had other plans. They were out in full force getting their Valentine’s Day orders in before the day, and Arya couldn’t spare a moment to make fun of him for dumping his latest girl.<br/>He tried not to be too hurt that she didn’t even smile at him when he went in to her shop with their afternoon pick me up.<br/>“Jon special?” She sound tired and nearly drained her latte as soon as he handed it to her.<br/>“Yeah. This is a madhouse—“<br/>She slid the delivery pad over to him to fill out, “They’ll go out with the rest of the deliveries tomorrow, if that’s okay with you?”<br/>“Yeah, that should be fine.”<br/>She barely waved him goodbye as she turned to help another customer. Jon left the shop not feeling as happy as he usually did after hanging out with Arya.</p>
<p>“Whats wrong, Snow?” Tormund asked when he came back into this shop, “Flower girl turned you down again?”<br/>“Yeah, she keeps saying she’s waiting for you, and I just don’t get it.” Jon joked back.<br/>“What can I say? She’s got taste.”</p>
<p>Jon checked his watch, quarter to 7pm; quarter to Arya’s shop closing. He waved goodbye to Tormund and Satin and walked next door. The fridge was pretty empty and Lommy was zoned out, sweeping the room of all the petals, leaves, and stems that fell in their pre-Valentines day rush. There were still two customers milling about, so Jon hung back and waited for them to leave.<br/>Arya had her long, brown hair in a knot on the top of her head, tendrils had fallen out during the day, and perfectly framed her face. His cheeks felt warm and he turned to look at the succulents on display.</p>
<p>“In for another Jon special? That’s fast, even for you,” Arya called out to him as soon as she was done with her customers.<br/>Jon chuckled, “Actually, I came in to see how you guys are doing after that rush.”<br/>“That—was not the worst of it, now comes the fun part,” she sounded tired but her eyes sparkled.<br/>“Whats that?”<br/>“I get to put all the delivery orders together now. Lommy!” she had to yell to get his attention, “as soon as you’re done, you can go.”<br/>Lommy nodded and picked up the pace on sweeping, before long it was just him and Arya, alone.<br/>“Lommy doesn’t help?” He asked as she locked the door.<br/>“He’s got deliveries all day tomorrow. Sort of my little treat.”<br/>“You’re gonna put all the deliveries together, by yourself?” Jon asked.<br/>“Yeah, its sort of my job—“<br/>“How can I help?”<br/>“You really don’t have to. Not my first Valentine’s Day.”<br/>“I want to—“<br/>Arya looked at him like he had two heads. Usually, Jon would feel self-conscious being sized up but Arya began biting her lower lip and it became harder for him to concentrate with all the blood was rushing southwards. He clenched his fists to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing her.  </p>
<p>She nodded and they got to work. Arya did most of the hard work, but she taught Jon how to properly wrap bouquets and vases so she could focus on arranging the flowers.</p>
<p>“What are your favorite flowers?” Jon asked her after setting an arrangement in the fridge.<br/>“Wild flowers. Why?”<br/>“Just wondering.”<br/>“Wanna make sure you don’t get me wild flowers for my breakup bouquet?” she laughed.<br/>“Trust me, when you finally agree to go out with me, there will be no breakup bouquet.”<br/>“Will you have moved on to breakup bottles of wine?” Jon stopped working on the flowers in front of him and looked at her. She had a small cut on her cheek from when a stray rose thorn caught her by surprise.<br/>“What?” She turned to look at him, the last bouquet she needed to put together in her hands, “is there something on my face?” She asked as she started to rub her cheeks.<br/>“No,” he swallowed roughly, “you do have a lot of leaves in your hair though.” He picked one out. It was dangerous, letting himself get close enough to touch her, but he successfully resisted the urge to stroke her cheek and instead held the leaf out to her.<br/>“Occupational hazard,” she grabbed the leaf but he wouldn’t let it go.<br/>“Go out with me?” He asked her again.<br/>“What?” She laughed, “No.”<br/>“Why not?” Jon was not going to give up Arya. What started out as a joke between friends, developed into something more serious for Jon. He wanted Arya. Wanted to know more about her. Wanted to kiss her every time she bit her lower lip. She was it for him, he decided.</p>
<p>“Cause,” Jon could see her mind working to find an excuse. It was cute how she stopped looking him in the eyes and a slight blush painted her cheeks, “Tormund. He’d be really jealous if I go out with you first. I don’t think your business would survive.”<br/>Jon smiled down at her, “really?” She nodded and continued to worry her lower lip, “Thank you for looking out for my business.”<br/>“Someone has to. You’re over here all the time, it’s a wonder its still running.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Whats a girl to do when her insecurities flare up?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tormund had finally convinced Jon that they should host an open mic night. Give the local college and high school kids a place to showcase their talents. “Think about it, all the extra revenue we could make from people coming in to support their friends.”<br/>Jon did like the sound of that, “We’ll try it once. But I’m pulling the plug if it gets too rowdy.”<br/>“Its not The Lord of Light festival, Jon. It’s a couple of college kids playing acoustic guitar.”</p><p>Jon was working behind the counter that afternoon and was surprised to see Arya walk into the shop with her laptop.<br/>“What brings you here?”<br/>“Lommy kicked me out. Said he needed to practice running the shop in case I’m ever sick. Can I sit here?” She asked, pointing to the stool at the end of the counter.<br/>“That’s why we put a chair there,” she rolled her eyes at his comment and his stomach swooped.</p><p>An hour passed with Arya silently staring at her computer, a mug of coffee in her hand. Jon tried to not pay attention to her, but it was like his body was attuned to every move she made. Whenever she bought the mug to her lips, his eyes zeroed in on them. The slow afternoon with Arya perched at the end of his counter, was like torture. He just wanted to lean over and kiss the worried look off her face.<br/>“We’re holding an open mic night, tonight. If you wanna stick around—“ he wiped down all the mugs in his area twice, keeping his hands busy because all they wanted to do was touch Arya.<br/>“Tonight?” He nodded, “I actually have a date tonight—but if you do it again—“<br/>Jon nodded again, his heart sinking but he kept the smile on his face, “—you’ll be the first to know.”</p><hr/><p>Arya surreptitiously glanced at her watch. Elmer Frey had not stopped talking since they sat down at the bar. Arya tried to pay attention to her date but he was as boring as watching paint dry. She silently cursed her mother for setting her up with him. His laugh startled her into paying attention again, but he was off on another boring work story and she let her mind wander.</p><p>And wander it did. To grey eyes that looked like hers but lighter, prettier. And strong forearms that made delicate foam leaves in her lattes. She struggled to pay attention to the flower order she needed to do that afternoon. Anytime Jon did anything, her eyes would snap to him. He rubbed the stubble on his jaw, and she wanted to do the same. She found herself thinking if it was soft or rough. And couldn’t decide which she would prefer.</p><p>If she left now, she could make it for the tail end of open mic night at the coffee shop.<br/>“I’m sorry—“ she interrupted her date, “I forgot, I actually have an early morning delivery tomorrow.”<br/>“—oh—“<br/>“Yeah, I’m sorry. They show up at like, 4am, and if I miss it—whew—cant miss it, is what I’m saying. It was—“ she gathered her stuff in her arms and grabbed his hand for a quick handshake, “Nice meeting you.” She threw a few bucks on the counter and left before Elmer Frey could protest. She’d hear about it from her mother, she was sure about that, but she had better places to be.</p><p> </p><p>Jon was behind the counter when she slipped in. The shop was packed, everyone absorbed in the music. His eyes widened when she made her way up to him.<br/>“Hey, you’re back.”<br/>“Yeah, couldn’t stay away.”<br/>“From me?” His eyes and smile made the butterflies in her stomach dance.<br/>“From coffee,” she hoped her voice sounded strong because with her heart beating a mile a minute in her chest, she felt shaky, “I need a constant supply to keep me going.”<br/>Jon grabbed a stool from the back room and put it at his end of the counter, “sit.” The latte he made her was perfect and she thought about how hanging out with Jon, listening to bad acoustic covers of rap songs, was much better than her date.</p><p>“If you stick around, I can walk you home,” the crowd was leaving and he and Tormund were busy cleaning up.<br/>Arya looked at the door, she should say no. That is what the logical part of her brain was thinking, but her heart said yes. Stupidly, she listened to that one instead, “sure. What can I do to help?”<br/>“You don’t have to—“<br/>“I’m returning the favor.”<br/>He was looking at her so intently, her cheeks flushed and she hoped their hipster light bulbs kept him from seeing them do so. She immediately began bitting her lower lip, a nervous tic she had a hard time breaking.<br/>“You can put some chairs up,” he finally said and she let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding in.</p><p> </p><p>They ambled in the direction of her apartment. The heels she stupidly wore to her date, made her walk slower than she normally would. That’s what she told herself at least. Jon wasn’t speeding up either, she noticed and felt her cheeks get hot again.<br/>They walked in relative silence. She couldn’t think of what to talk about, a first for her. She could make friends with anyone and yet here she was, not able to say anything to her actual friend.<br/>“So bad date?” He finally spoke.<br/>All tension she had been feeling left, “yeah, you could say that. He was—a little too obsessed with his job.”<br/>“What’s his job?”<br/>“I don’t remember,” they both laughed at that and she grinned at him.<br/>“You wouldn’t have that problem if you finally agreed to go out on a date with me,” Jon joked.</p><p>She felt comfortable here, their flirty jokey banter was easier to deal with than her growing feelings for Jon. She shouldn’t have feelings for him; he didn’t have feelings for her. No matter how many times he joked about asking her out, at the end of the day, he always went out with someone else. And the women he dated—the dragon girl he dated had won beauty pageants, how could she compete with that?</p><p>They were in front of her apartment now. “How about it? You? Me? Friday night?” He asked with a big grin on his face.<br/>“Yeah, sure,” she laughed and got her keys out.<br/>“I’m serious,” he laughed back.<br/>“No, you’re not,” Arya shook her head and turned to her door.<br/>“I am. Completely serious. Arya, look at me,” she turned to face him, his hand on his heart, “will you go out with me on Friday?”<br/>Her heart was beating in her chest. Say yes, it was saying but her mind said, say no. She foolishly listened to that one instead. “I cant.”<br/>“Why not?” Jon didn’t look hurt, just confused.<br/>Because I’m not pretty, not tall, my hands are too rough; all the insults Sansa and her friends would hurl at her when they were younger cropped into her head. She knows its stupid and all in her head, but she cant stop her thoughts from spiraling. Instead she does what she’s always done; she pushes him away, like she does with everyone who might be interested in her, “We’ve been friends for how long now? And I’ve sent out bouquets for how many women? Daenerys, Val, Jeyla,” she counted them off on her fingers, “your sex life is like Mambo Number 5. I don’t want to be—“<br/>“You wont—“ he stepped closer but Arya held her hand up to stop him.<br/>“—Yes, I will. I’ve seen the girls you date, Jon. I’m not—I don’t fit. And that’s okay, I made my peace with not fitting in a long time ago. I’d rather just be your friend, if that’s okay?”<br/>His smile didn’t reach his eyes and it hurt her heart to see it. But she was thankful that he didn’t seem angry at her, “That’s fine with me, Arya, but just so you know, I like that you don’t fit.” He took a few steps back, giving her more room to breath. It was hard to do that when he was close.<br/>“See you tomorrow, yeah?” He asked before she opened her door.<br/>“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”<br/>“And Arya,” he was halfway to the curb, “I think you’re beautiful.” It was amazing how he got to the heart of her insecurities. He didn’t bother to wait for her to respond.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>How do you go back to being friends after someone rebuffs you?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Stop pining for flower girl, you’re making Satin uncomfortable.” The shop was empty for a Wednesday afternoon but no one wanted to brave the rain. Jon was leaning against the espresso machine staring wistfully at the flower shop across the street.<br/>“I know what’ll cheer you up,” Tormund had on his wild grin that signified trouble. Whatever he had in mind, Jon was down for it, if only to get her out of his head. He hadn’t been over to Arya’s flower shop in two weeks nor had she shown up to the coffee shop. He’d catch glimpses of her when she was setting up her outside display in the morning, they’d wave shyly to each other but that was the extent of their friendship after that night.</p>
<p>Jon couldn’t make himself go over to spend time with her and pretend like he didn’t want more. Maybe in the future they could go back to being friends. But right now, he was too angry to do that. Angry at himself. He did date around a lot, how could he have thought that would endear him to her? And, how could she not see that she was beautiful? He wanted to punch the person who ever dared call her ugly.</p>
<p>“Drinks? Tonight? Ygritte will be there—” Tormund continued breaking Jon out of his daydream.<br/>He sighed. Not the girl he wanted, but he always found Ygritte interesting, “sure,” he replied and Tormund grinned again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They let Satin go home early that day. The rain kept most customers away but Jon spied Lommy running across the street with his jacket over his head as soon as Satin left.<br/>“Hey, how’s it going over there?” Jon asked as soon as Lommy stepped up to the counter.<br/>“Horrible. I would say Arya needs a dose of caffeine but she’s sent me out to Hot Pies to grab her lattes all day, so her terrible mood is not because of lack of caffeine. So it must be your fault—“<br/>“Me? What did I do?”<br/>“I don’t know, but you did something. You haven’t been over in a week and she doesn’t send me here to get her coffee anymore—sooner or later, I’ll figure out what that something is. Anyway, I have some deliveries to make, so—“ Lommy gave him a pointed look but Jon refused to take the bait, “get over there and talk to her,” he finished and stormed off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was awkward. Being in her presence after that night. How do you go back to being friends after someone rebuffs you? Jon put her latte on the counter, “Lommy tells me you’re getting your lattes from Hot Pie now?”<br/>She stared awkwardly at the cup in front of her, at her register, everywhere but at him. It was cute how her cheeks got a pink tint, “yeah, I—“<br/>“Honestly, how could you do that to Tormund? He’s heartbroken that you would cheat on him like that.” <br/>She smiled but still didn’t meet his eyes, “please, tell him he is the only man for me.”<br/>“Tell him yourself, when you go in tomorrow.” He sat at the stool Lommy usually occupies, Arya taking a step back. Jon tried to not feel hurt by this. Truly he should not be getting as near to her as he was, but he loved torturing himself. If they were going to be friends, he needed to move past his feelings for her, but that was easier said than done. “So whats new with you?”<br/>“Uh—nothing. Prom is next month so—“<br/>“Has anyone asked you yet?”<br/>She laughed and finally looked at him, “yeah, there was a huge promposal, I’m surprised you didn’t see it, happened right in front of the store, there was a flash mob and everything.”<br/>“I must have been in the back.”<br/>She still kept her distance from him, and Jon didn’t push. He was just happy they were talking and joking again. Being her friend was as easy as breathing. He had a feeling loving her would be the same. And he was confident she’d finally agree to go out with him one of these days.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He still had a smile on when he ran back to his shop, “how’s flower girl?”<br/>“She’s fine.”<br/>“I know you’re in love with her, but we’re still on for tonight, right?” Jon couldn’t disappoint Tormund. His business partner had been trying to get him to go out with Ygritte as soon as she moved to Wintertown.<br/>“Yes, we’re still on.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Arya deals with the consequences of her actions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Shitshitshit—“ Arya said as she snapped the stem in her hand. She had to put together an arrangement for that afternoon and so far she ruined five roses. She turned from the window and tried to concentrate on her job. If Lommy was there, he’d laugh at her for being so distracted.<br/>But she couldn’t help it, she thought as she looked across the street again. The weather was finally nice enough for Jon and Tormund to put tables outside and Jon and his latest girl were currently enjoying coffee and pastries at said table.</p>
<p>Arya had seen them walking around the town plaza and her heart broke but she kept a smile plastered on her face when Jon introduced them. Ygritte was her name. She was pretty. Really pretty, with flaming red hair. She thought of her sister and chastised herself for doing so. Sansa apologized to her a long time ago, but every once in a while, her insecurities flamed up. “Calm as still water,” her therapist’s voice said in her head.</p>
<p>She tried to keep her routine going but it became too hard to see Ygritte and Jon together whenever she went over for coffee. She still sent Lommy, she didn’t want Jon coming by her shop to chide her for avoiding Wilding Coffee again. And it wasn’t like Jon was being much of a friend to her either. He used to always come by, no matter what girl he was dating, but with Ygritte he stopped. Or maybe it was that she rejected him.</p>
<p>Ygritte leaned over the table to kiss Jon and another rose bit the dust.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She threw herself into her work. The first prom of the season was a week away and she had a lot of orders to fulfill. “I’m too busy to worry about Jon,” she told Lommy for the hundredth time that week, “and so are you. I need you to pick up the ribbon at UPS, they didn’t deliver it this morning.” <br/>“This is not over, Stark.”<br/>“Oh, but it is. Now get—“ she laughed as she pushed Lommy out the door. Jon was across the street clearing some tables, so she waved. And then he was jogging across the street to her. Suddenly she felt too hot and she didn’t know what to do with her hands. She picked up a plant on her outside display and held it. Real natural, she heard Lommy’s voice say in her head.<br/>“Hey—“<br/>“Hey,” she said quickly. Don’t be stupid, this is Jon, you know how to act around Jon, she yelled at herself.<br/>“How’ve you been?”<br/>“Good—busy—you?” Her hands were clammy but she refused to put the flower pot down.<br/>“Same. I’ve been meaning to come by actually.”<br/>“Really?” She turned to go inside and held the door open for Jon to do the same.<br/>“Yeah, I need your floral expertise once more.”<br/>“Another break up special?” She was sure Jon could hear her heart beating in her chest. She wanted to run behind the counter and put as much space between them as possible, but she settled for an agonizing walk.<br/>“How about a regular bouquet this time.” He had on a brilliant smile and she tried to smile back, but she was feeling crummy about her dashed hopes. <br/>“Oh—sure. What are her favorite flowers?”<br/>“Winter roses. Can I pick them up at closing? We don’t have a place to store flowers—“<br/>“Yeah, that’s fine.” She waited until he was across the street and in his shop to freak out. If she had a pillow in her hands, she would scream into it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lommy chose that moment to walk back into the store, “Uh oh, whats wrong?”<br/>“Nothing,” she quickly straightened herself out. Stomping up and down, keeping a scream inside, didn’t do wonders for her hair, she smoothed it down with a frown.<br/>“No way, Stark. Is it Jon?”<br/>“No—“ his glare shut her up, “yes.”<br/>“Do you want to get drunk and talk about it?”<br/>“Its 4 in the afternoon, Lommy.”<br/>“So what—“<br/>“He’s coming by to pick up a bouquet at closing,” she got to work, picking out the roses. It was an expensive bouquet, Ygritte was a lucky girl.<br/>“That’s good, right? Another break up.”<br/>“Not a break up this time, just regular, old flowers you give to your girlfriend.”<br/>“Oh—OH!—And he’s making you make them?” Lommy yelled, “Oh hells to the no—“<br/>“Lommy,” she said quietly but he was on a tear and she had to yell, “Lommy!! Its fine. I’m fine.”<br/>“Oh sweetie, you’re not fine—“<br/>“No—but that’s okay.” She put on a brave face and tried to smile but her heart hurt too much, “Um—can you run the shop tomorrow? I’ll call Tom, see if he can do deliveries for you—”<br/>“Oh my gods, yes. Of course, anything you need.” Lommy knew Arya didn’t do affection very well, so he settled on patting her shoulder while she worked. And after Jon picked up the bouquet, he had a glass of whiskey waiting for her on her desk.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Arya goes missing. Jon gets yelled at.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon went by the shop the following day to see Arya, but she wasn’t there. Nor was she there the day after that, nor the day after that. Come Monday, Jon hadn’t seen her all weekend. He had so much he wanted to tell her, and ask her, but she wasn’t around. He entered the shop Tuesday afternoon with their usual drinks, but he only saw Lommy behind the counter putting corsages in their boxes and dancing to some pop song.<br/>“She’s not here,” he said as soon as Jon walked in.<br/>“I can see that. I bought you these.” Jon put the drinks down on the counter and took his usual seat, “Do you know when she’ll be back?”<br/>“Nope.” Jon frowned and took a sip of his iced tea. Usually Lommy was nicer, flirtier with him, but not as of late.<br/>“Did I do something?” He tentatively asked.<br/>“<em>Did you do something</em>?” Lommy wagged the flower in his hand in front of Jon’s face then whacked him in the shoulder with it, “yes—<em>thwack</em>—you—<em>thwack</em>—did—<em>thwack—</em>something—<em>thwack</em>” The petals flew everywhere and Lommy blew out an exasperated breath.<br/>“What—?”<br/>“You—you come in here and flirt with Arya and practically beg her to go out with you and then you turn around and date someone else. Not once, not twice, but—like—hundreds of times. Then you do it again! You call her beautiful—which let me tell you, is a huge deal for her—and then you turn around and start parading that freaking model around town—do you know what that does to a person? And then, the cherry on top of the shit sandwich—you ask her to make a bouquet for your girlfriend! Are you fucking kidding me?”<br/>“Woahwoahwoah,” Jon yelled back, “she rejected me—“<br/>“—Yeah, cause she’s a fucking idiot! But can you blame her when you’re such a hoe, going out with half of Wintertown—“<br/>“And I am completely serious about Arya—“<br/>“Are you?“<br/><em>Jingle</em>—they both looked towards the door. A scared looking old man was standing in the doorway, “welcome to Starks,” Lommy said. Jon made to leave, but Lommy pushed him back into his seat, “stay,” he whispered and made his way to the gentleman.</p>
<p>Lommy sighed as soon as the man was out of the store and turned to Jon, “what are you going to do about it?”<br/>“I don’t know,” Jon rubbed his face, “did I fuck it all up?”<br/>“Yes—and no—but you need to figure out what you want; its not fair to Arya or your girlfriend.” <br/>Jon laughed, “she’s not my girlfriend. I tried, you know—but she wasn’t—all I kept thinking about was how much she reminded me of Arya and—“<br/>“When did this come about? Because you still bought her like an eighty dollar bouquet and had Arya make it!”<br/>“Two weeks ago, maybe three. We’re still friends, kind of,” he said with a wry smirk, “She’s Tormund’s friend really. That bouquet was for my mom. It was her birthday on Saturday.”<br/>“Are you for real? Why didn’t you just say that?”<br/>Jon shrugged as he sucked on his empty drink. He was a stupid man who wanted to make the girl of his dreams jealous.<br/>“You know absolutely nothing, do you know that?” Lommy said, another flower waving in Jon’s face, “you two deserve each other.“<br/>“What makes you say that?” he said with a hopeful smile.<br/>“You’re a confident idiot who doesn’t know shit and she’s an insecure know it all. Like tailor made for each other,” Lommy finished with an eye roll. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So much for avoiding the guy you turned down multiple times but still like.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was glad to be back at work. The long weekend away was great but the longer she was home, the more her mother treated her like she used to when she was a child. But putting up with her mother was the price she had to pay to see her dad. It was easier when the house was full but being the only kid in the house at the time made her the sole focus of her parents. She spent the days dodging her mothers criticisms and questions regarding her love life and business; and quiet evenings reading with her dad in his office.</p><p>She took in a deep breath as she opened the door and began setting up the outside display, trying to put all her mothers criticisms and her dads sad smiles, out of her mind. It was just her in the shop all morning, Lommy was off as a thank you for minding the shop, and she was bored. More often than not, she found herself zoning out while looking across the street at Jon’s coffee shop.</p><p>She debated with herself about going over to grab a coffee. She gave herself the long weekend to mourn what might have been with Jon, but when it came time to actually see him, she couldn’t do it. She put the “be back in 10” sign on her door and walked to Hot Pies for coffee.<br/>
When she came back, Jon was jogging across the street to her, “cheating again?” He asked with a smile.<br/>
Her mouth didn’t want to cooperate. “Hot Pies,” he clarified, pointing to her cup.<br/>
Say something you idiot, Lommy’s voice in her head was yelling. “Yeah—sorry.” She turned her back and opened the door.<br/>
Arya busied herself behind the counter. Her hands were shaking as she tidied up some loose papers, swept petals and leaves from her chair; anything to not look at him, “how were the flowers?” she masochistically asked.<br/>
“Beautiful, my mom loved them.”<br/>
She might have gotten whiplash from how fast her head turned to look at him, “your mother?”<br/>
“Yeah, her birthday was on Saturday.”<br/>
“Oh—,” she didn’t know what else to say. Those flowers may have been for his mother but he was still dating Ygritte. “I’m glad she liked them.”<br/>
“We’re doing another open mic night this Friday?” She was quickly started thinking of excuses but he continued, “I’m here with a formal invitation.”<br/>
I don’t want to see you and your girlfriend together, was not going to fly as an excuse, especially since she turned him down more than once.<br/>
“Lommy signed up—“ he kept going. Now she couldn’t say no, Lommy wouldn’t let her live it down.<br/>
“Friday?”<br/>
“At 7.”<br/>
“Okay, I’ll try to be there.” He nodded and left and she willed her heart to slow down.</p><p> </p><p>“I swear to the Gods if you miss my performance, I will kill you.” Lommy stated when she asked if it was imperative that she show up for open mic night.<br/>
“I didn’t even know you sang?”<br/>
“I have loads of mysteries, Stark. Are you going or not?” She had two more days to find an excuse to not go to the coffee shop on Friday and so far, she had nothing. Lommy had been practicing his song all day. Tom, their sometime delivery guy, would be accompanying him on guitar; so Arya had two friends performing but only one who would kill her for not going.<br/>
“But—“<br/>
“But nothing! You’re going!” Lommy was adamant, throwing a flower at her while she sulked behind the register, “and besides, my superior singing skills will make you forget all about—,” he didn’t even finish the sentence just waved his hand in the direction of the coffee shop. Arya chewed her lower lip and hoped she didn’t have to face Jon and Ygritte yet.</p><p> </p><p>She called her younger brothers later that evening. They were the only two of her siblings who still lived in the North but Rickon was going camping in Skagos for the weekend and Bran had some tree symposium he was speaking and needed to prep for. She was truly stuck unless she wanted to subject herself to another evening with her mother.</p><p>She stopped off at the liquor store during lunch that Friday and bought a small bottle of tequila. She took a shot before locking up and walking to the coffee shop, she hoped it would calm her nerves but her heart kept pounding as she stepped closer to the shop. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jon has a plan to get Arya on a date.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon prepped the roof all day. It was going to be a clear night, the heat they had been feeling all week should lessen during the evening. He dragged one of their tables upstairs and strung some fairy lights over the whole set up. The bottle of wine Lommy said was her favorite was chilling in the fridge. Ambushing Arya with a date wasn’t exactly how he wanted to start a relationship with her, but he had run out of ideas and convincing her was going nowhere. When Lommy suggested this, he was desperate and ran with the idea.</p>
<p>“Hello—“ he heard someone say from the front. She was early, he was in the back room putting the finishing touches to a cheese plate. Tormund sniggered quietly from his desk.<br/>“Hey, you’re early, I haven’t had a chance to set up yet,” Jon said as he left the back. She looked confused. It was cute.</p>
<p>“Oh—do you need help?” She set her bag on the chair but stayed where she was. <br/>“No—just sit right there, I’ll be back.”  <br/>“Go—“ he whispered to Tormund who rolled his eyes.<br/>“You’re acting like a green boy,” Tormund whispered back but took everything up to the roof for Jon.</p>
<p>Arya was sitting at one of the tables, her leg bouncing nervously when Jon joined her. <br/>“There’s no open mic night is there?” She narrowed her eyes at him.<br/>Jon shook his head, “not tonight—but there is one next week and Lommy did sign up for it—“<br/>“Oh—“<br/>“Have fun you two,” Tormund’s voice boomed from the back room and Jon decided he had to die.<br/>“What’s he talking about?” Arya questioned.<br/>“I was hoping you and I could talk, upstairs.” He said, cautiously. Arya looked to the door and he hoped she wouldn’t bolt for it, “please.”<br/>Her small nod left him soaring.</p>
<p>She gasped when she saw the rooftop but she didn’t run. Jon pulled her chair out and poured her a glass of wine. <br/>“How did you—” She asked when she saw the bottle of wine, “Lommy?”<br/>“Lommy,” Jon confirmed as he pulled his chair closer to hers, she didn’t push hers back this time, “he also mentioned something about you liking the old Wildling stories about stealing a wife—“<br/>“So you decided—“<br/> “To steal you for a date. I figured it was my only way of actually getting you on one.”<br/>“But—“ She was looking at her hands in her lap. Jon wanted to see her eyes so he did what he never allowed himself to do and touched her. His hand gently tilted her chin so she was looking at him. <br/>“But?”<br/>“Your girlfriend…” she whispered. She had a pink hue to her cheeks.<br/>“Hasn’t been my girlfriend for a long time.“ Jon gently caressed her cheek and heard her breath hitch.<br/>“But—“<br/>“But?” Jon inched himself closer to her and her eyes fluttered.<br/>“I don’t know,” she breathed out with a small chuckle and he closed the gap between them.<br/>The kiss was short but sweet and Jon wanted more. He would wait though, until she was ready.<br/>He pulled back and her eyes slowly opened, “I hope that was okay?” He asked.<br/>Her hand had found itself on Jon’s chest, feeling the beating of his heart, he was sure it was erratic. But then she surprised him, fisted his shirt and pulled him in for a second kiss. Jon couldn’t stop himself, his hand at the back of her head pulled her in deeper, keeping them together.</p>
<p>Somehow that night, the wine was finished and the cheese plate he set up was cleaned off. And they talked, he was certain they talked. But he didn’t remember anything outside of kissing Arya.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>These two dummy’s finally talk. Or rather, Jon talks while Arya freaks out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She had on a sad smile the entire day. She didn’t hate what happened between her and Jon, she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him to tell her that he was wrong, that they were better off as friends. If her therapist was here they would probably have another conversation about low self esteem.<br/><br/>When she told Lommy what happened, he wasn’t surprised at all. “Finally. You two have been getting on my nerves with that ‘will they, wont they’ bullshit. I have my own problems, you know?”<br/>“Sorry, Lommy. Please tell me about your problems.”<br/>“Well, I don’t have any now. And you’re not getting out of this so easily, tell me everything!” he said as she rolled her eyes. Lommy pestered her for details all morning but she spent her entire night, tossing and turning, going over their entire evening in excruciating detail. She didn’t want to dissect it again.<br/>”I need, maybe another day, before I’m ready to unpack this,” she said.<br/>“Fine, keep your secrets, Stark.”<br/>“Its just—“ she started then stopped, chewing on her lower lip.<br/>“Yes—?”<br/>She let out a big breath, “nothing—nothing—“ she kept going before Lommy could interject, “just forget I said anything.“<br/>Lommy glared at her but she was used to those. She could manage her own expectations without bothering Lommy.</p>
<p>It was around the time Jon usually stopped by with their afternoon coffees. The chimes above the door rang out, “I’ll leave you two alone,” Lommy said as he grabbed his coffee from Jon and left the store.<br/>She felt her face get flush; she didn’t know why she was suddenly so nervous.<br/>“Hey,” she could barely hear herself over the rushing of blood in her ears.<br/>“Hey, yourself,” Jon said as he surprised her with a kiss, “you’ve got the cutest blush right now.”<br/>She couldn’t stop herself from looking down at her shoes.<br/>“Whats wrong?” He asked, concern coursing through every word.<br/>“Nothing,” she lied and forced herself to look him in the eye.<br/>“Hmm, well I don’t believe you but I’ll let it slide,” he said and took his usual seat.</p>
<p>She busied herself with her latte, trying to parse through all the questions she wanted to ask. <em>Why me?</em> was the one she kept going back to.<br/>She was broken out of her thoughts when Jon said, “my mom wants to meet you.”<br/>“What?” She said a little loudly.<br/>“I told her it was too soon to meet you but she’s insistent—”<br/>“What?” Her brain was struggling to catch up, it was like they were having two different conversations. Which was silly because she wasn’t having any conversation with him out loud.<br/>“Are you okay?” Jon looked concerned, he was in front of her now and she couldn’t think straight. She focused on the pattern on his shirt.<br/>“I just—why does your mom want to meet me?” She finally asked, her finger tracing the pattern on his shirt; when had she let herself do that?<br/>“Because I told her all about you and she loved the flowers. Of course she wants to meet you.”<br/>Calm as still water, she told herself but it wasn’t helping. Her heart was racing.<br/>“I told you last night. You’re kind of stuck with me now.”<br/>She vaguely remembered him saying he loved her in between kisses the previous night, “I didn’t think you were serious—”<br/>“Well, I was. You’re it for me, Arya.”<br/>“But—“ Jon shut her up with a kiss. All the questions she wanted to ask were gone as her heart stopped pounding and her legs turned to jello.  <br/>“But nothing,” Jon said when they stopped kissing, his forehead resting on hers, “like I said last night, I love you. You don’t have to say it back right now—I just want you to know, I wont let you go.”</p>
<p>She always struggled with trusting people. She had gotten hurt trusting the wrong people. Her ex, her sister, the list was long. And she so wanted to trust Jon when he said he wont let her go.<br/>“I promise,” he said as if reading her mind.<br/>She nodded and kissed him again. She could trust him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Conclusion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We’re practically married at this point—“ Jon was repeating himself.  <br/>“Then why do we need to get real married?” Arya yelled from the bathroom.<br/>“Because we love each other and that kid of mine should have married parents,” Arya exited the bathroom by then and eased herself into her chair.<br/>“This kid of yours needs to stop pressing on my bladder,” she complained and put her feet up on Jon’s legs. They had another 15 minutes together before he had to run back across the street and relieve Satin for lunch.</p><p>He had proposed a year into dating her. And then again when they found out she was pregnant. And again the night before. “We don’t need a piece of paper to tell us we love each other,” she kept saying but Jon formulated another plan along the way.<br/>“Open mic night tonight. You’re coming right?” He asked as he kissed her and her belly goodbye.<br/>“Yes. Lommy said he’s got a new song he’s working on and if I missed it he will kill me and feed me to the plants.”<br/>“Good, see you later.”</p><p> </p><p>The shades were down in the shop; he told her it kept the shop cooler when she asked. He had everyone park a couple of blocks away and enter through the back door so Arya wouldn’t see them. His mother and her mother took it upon themselves to decorate the coffee shop. Her younger brothers bought a potted Heart tree to the shop for them to get married in front of. Tormund had worked on his speech for the ceremony all day.</p><p>She was locking her door when he ran up to her, “figured I could walk you over,” he said with a kiss.<br/>“I’m pregnant, not helpless,” she rolled her eyes.<br/>He smirked as he bent down and began carrying her, “my helpless lady,” he joked.<br/>“No, Jon, I’m too heavy,” she protested.<br/>“No, you’re not,” he pushed open the door to his shop with his foot and heard her gasp. Their mothers really outdid themselves in the short time they had. The fairy lights in the Heart tree gave the room a pinkish hue.<br/>“Jon—“ her voice was quiet but she had a smile on her face, “are you stealing me again?”<br/>“Of course. It’s the only way I can convince you—“ she shut him up with a kiss.<br/>“I haven’t married you two, yet,” Tormund yelled out from his place under the Heart tree.<br/>“Fine, I’ll marry you,” she said when Jon finally set her on her feet.<br/>“She said yes!” He yelled to the crowd and held their hands up.</p><p>Arya had to admit it was a perfect ceremony. They were both in jeans, Jon’s shirt had a coffee stain on it and she was sure she had leaves and petals in her hair but she didn’t care. She cried at the wildflower bouquet Lommy made for her and again when she said her vows. Everyone laughed when she blamed it on hormones. <br/>She was so happy she even ignored her mothers request for a ‘real’ ceremony. Luckily, her mother was stopped by her father from pestering her further.  </p><p><br/>Later in the evening, while they were swaying under the Heart tree, Jon looked down at her and said, “I told you I wouldn’t let you go. Now do you believe me?”<br/>“Yes, I believe you now,” she laughed into his chest.<br/>“Only took tricking you into going out with me, getting you pregnant, and then tricking you into marrying me, to finally get that through your stubborn head.”<br/>“I was giving you an out. Now you’re stuck with me,” she got on her tip toes and kissed him.<br/>“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said and kissed her back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for reading. I am glad you all enjoyed the story so much. I’d like to respond to every one of your comments but I suck at accepting compliments; its much easier for me to pretend these stories exist in a vacuum.<br/>I have another one I’m working on so be on the look out for that. And of course all of these new stories means I’m just procrastinating from finishing “Practicing in the Godswood.”<br/>I will get back to that one, I swear. I just get super high on weekends and these new story ideas come to me and I have to follow them through to the end. </p><p>Thank you all again for your amazing support. Stay safe!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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